Method of piling lumber



Nov. 28, 1939. 3 VJ ccccc AN 2,181,357

- INVEN R JOHN B. CHIPMAN BY 51449, 1 I ATTORNEY MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM ER IIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIII I IIII II I IIIIIIIIIIIIIgIII III III

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*Q ssssssssss QRSS l. '1 I INVENTORTEP JOHN 5.. CHIPMAN Patented Nov. 1939 PATENT oar-lea METHOD OF PILING LUMBER. John B. Chipman, Webster Groves, Mo.

Original application June 80, 1938, Serial No. 216,691. Divided and this application October I 17, 1938, Serial No. 235,447

2 Claims.

This application is a divisional application growing out of an application for patent filed by me on June 30, 1938, Serial No. 216,691, now

pending.

My invention relates to a new method of piling lumber and a rack for holding the same, and has for its primary object to keep such lumber in said piles from -crooking", splitting, bowing, checking, or cupping. Another object is to provide a watershed to keep moisture, for instance, rain or snow, frompenetrating into piles of lumber piled according to my new method. A still further object is to provide offset, longitudinal joints between the several contacting layers of lumber in the piles, to prevent moisture passing through such joints and causing deterioration of the individual units in such piles. This is to say, the longitudinal joints between the individual units in one row are staggered with relation to the joints in the contacting rows, so that moisture does not have a direct channel through which to pass from row to row. In any method of piling lumber heretofore employed, so far as I am aware, serious losses have occurred which I have found by experience with my method of piling can be virtually eliminated. By my method of piling lumber any piece or pieces that may be crooked, bowed, or cupped will be straightened after a short period when incorporated in one of my piles. 'When placed in a pile laid according to my new method, lumber does not deteriorate, but, on the contrary, tends to improve while the lumber remains in such a pile.

My new rack which holds the lumber piled in accordance with my new method is so con structed as to permit of the ready and convenient insertion and removal of the individual pieces of lumber, and is light and sturdy'and durable and eflicient in structure, and not ex-v newrack with lumber of approximately 2 x 4 or planks of lumber.

due to deterioration of the individual planks or pieces caused by moisture entering into the body of the piled lumber and causing "crooking, split- Y ting, bowing, checking, or cupping, however carefully said lumber had been piled. Every lumber 5 dealerv is familiar with this fact andyet until I discovered my new method of piling and my new rack for holding the same, no successful method had been devised for overcoming such loss. By my new method I have reduced the 10 loss from the'foregoing causes to a fraction of 1 percent.

In the drawings,,A designates a frame constructed to receive the stack of lumber B, which is comprised of a number of individual pieces 16- I will first describe the frame. I place a series of posts I extending upwardly from andsecured to end members 2, and of sufiicient strength to withstand the weight of the piled lumber thereagainst. Preferably I 20 place such an upright posti on each transverse member 2 and 3, one at each end of such membar, and secured thereto. At appropriate midway and end points I join each upright post I to its opposite companion post in a transverse line 25 by a series of rods 4, which at their ends are passed through a hole in each post I and secured in place by nuts 5 to hold said rods in position in said post's. Preferably the upright. posts I are connected together by the brace pieces ex- 30 tending diagonally from the top to the bottom of said posts, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. By such .an arrangement! secure a very stable yet light and compact frame for lumber piled according to my hereinafter described method. 35

On each transverse foundation member 2 and 3 1 preferably place centrally of the length there.- of notched member I or 1' with the notched porticn'at the top. To the bottom of these members l or 1' I attach a strengthening member .8, 4c whereby-I prevent any tendency of the member I or 1' to sag or get out of line.

I have found it very important to construct the members I and-1' as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to accommodate diiferentwidths of lumber, such 45 as shown, for example, in said figures. I will first describe the member I as shown in Fig. 4. Starting at the center line C of said member I,

I form a series of shallow, V-shaped notches 9 at the left and right of the center line C. I 50 will describe the left-hand notches, the righthand notches'being identical. These notches 8 progress leftwardly in a downwardly descending line to a point substantially midway the length of the member I from said center line C to the center line C. Theindividual pieces of lumber shown in Fig. 4 are the usual 2 x 4 inches in the rough, but measure actually when finished 1% X inches.

- I will now describe the member 1' shown in Fig. 5. Starting at the center line C, I provide notches I3 angularly placed and proceeding both left'and right from said center line C in a progressively descending line toward the outer edges of the member I, as shown in Fig. 5. At the point indicated by x I provide a double notch I4 so as to secure the proper center line registration of the individual piles of lumber as clearly,

appe in said figure. The individual pieces of 1 her shown in Fig. 5 are in the rough 2 x 8 inches, but actually 1% x 7 inches when finished and incorporated in the pile.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 4 and 5 that due to thefoundation members I and I a symmetrical pile ot lumber is'secured. It is important that in the different sizes of lumber the foundation members upon which the piles of lumber are started must be figured out and the notches in said members must be such as to permit the symmetrical piling of such lumber, so that proper registration at the center line may be secured. I have illustrated the notched members I and I for two difierent sizes of lumber as illustrative of this feature.

Where the rods 4 traverse the pile I prefer to have lengths of lumber cut'to fill in the spaces at the ends and central portions between said.

rods, as shown at l5 in Fig. 3. It will be noted that by my method of piling I secure a very compact pile and one in which the longitudinal Joints it between the individual pieces in each pile is ofiset from the joints it in the upper and lower contacting pile of lumber. By this metharenas? left end of said member. At the point indicated by the numeral I0 I form a rectangular-shaped od I prevent any moisture working its way through the pile of lumber. As the individual boards are in close contact, each layer'with each other layer, it is apparent that no moisture may enter between the ends or such layers. I can, if desired, place a layer of tarpaulin over the top of the completed pile of lumber to protect the top layer of the pile from the weather.

It will be noted that the outer side edge of the outermost piece of lumber abuts against the inner side of the upright posts I. By this arrangement the individual layers are securely held in place against possible displacement. After a short time in a pile placed in accordance with my herein disclosed method, each piece of lumber is straight and no checking, splitting, or cracking takes place, and such lumber is accordingly in prime condition for use. I claim: A

l. A method of piling lumber. consisting of layins the pieces of said lumber so that each piece constituting the bottom row rests in an inclined position with respect to its width and in a straight-position with respect to its length, the pieces inthe left hand side of the pile being inclined in opposite, directions to the pieces in the right hand side of the pile, and ntinuing such positions in the upper sucoessi e layers, each layer being in direct contact with each other layer, and holding the pile so constituted in fixed position.

2. A method or piling lumber, consisting of laying the pieces of said lumber so that each,

piece constituting the bottom row rests in an' inclined position with respect to its width and in a straight position with respect to its length, the pieces in the leIt hand side of the pile being inclined in opposite direction to the pieces in 

